Au Revoir, Ladybug
by actualsnerson
Summary: Tikki visits to say goodbye. (also posted on ao3)
Ladybug lands on her home's balcony and detransforms. Marinette stretches, her back cracking, and then walks inside. "Ahh, you know, I may just be getting too old for this Tikki." Marinette is 60 years old. So is her husband.

"I'm home!" Marinette calls, and Adrien Dupain-Cheng stands from where he was sitting reading with Plagg to give his wife a kiss. "How was your day?" he asks, settling back into his recliner. He adjusts his reading glasses and looks at his book.

"Well, Lou had a fit at work over a late delivery. We need the fabrics to make the designs for the next show, and they were supposed to arrive today but they didn't. I also stopped a small robbery on the way home."

"I'm sorry I wasn't there to help, Bugaboo," Adrien says sadly. "It's fine, kitty." A small comfortable lapse in their conversation occurs.

"Alya called earlier," says Adrien , "She said she's finally a great grandmother, and wants us to visit them all."

"Oh, that's great! I'll make some baby clothes for the kid; I haven't done that in forever. Speaking of, our kids and grandkids better visit us soon! I miss them."

"Me too, hun."

* * *

Later that night, after dinner, Marinette, Adrien, Tikki, and Plagg were together sitting in the living room. "Marinette," Tikki says, "It may be time to start thinking of retiring."

It was silent. "...I'm only sixty, Tikki, I can still be a designer."

"That's not the job I meant."

"...Ah."

"You're very brave and strong, Marinette. But as your body grows older, it grows weaker too. I don't want to see you get hurt by a fall or moving the wrong way."

"I know. I love you too, Tikki. Besides, Ladybug needs to be able to leap across rooftops and fight baddies without throwing out a hip, right?"

"You know, Plagg told me I should retire earlier today too," Adrien inputs, "When I was complaining about my joints hurting."

* * *

At 61, Ladybug and Chat Noir declare their retirement. Only weeks later, two teens in skin tight body suits were stumbling around Berlin, Germany, figuring out their new double life.

* * *

Twenty-one years later, Adrien dies at 82 years old, in his sleep. Plagg makes his chosen being him to Marinette so he can go to the funeral. Plagg misses him.

* * *

Five more years later, Marinette is on her own death bed, at 87. She's been on hospice for a month. Her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren have been visiting frequently. This week, they've all decided to stay in town until she passes.

Today, Tikki begs her chosen to bring her to an old folks' home in Paris, France. Marinette is alone in the room when they walk in. Tikki's chosen knows they are meeting the previous Ladybug, for the first and last time. The current Ladybug, now 42 years old, sits in a chair a few feet away from the bed.

"Good afternoon," says Marinette, and they respond likewise. Tikki floats slowly out of this person's pocket, and settles herself on Marinette's blankets.

"Tikki...!" She gently cups Tikki and brings her closer. "Oh I've missed you Tikki."

"I've missed you too Marinette." Tikki nuzzles Marinette's cheek.

"Tell me what you've been doing, Tikki. Where have you been? What have you seen?"

Tikki talks about her new chosen, who is interested in engineering and is very punctual, and about life in Germany, and how they and Chat Noir (Schwarze Katze) protect Berlin.

"What about you Marinette?"

"Oh, I retired from my job in the fashion industry at 76! At that point they were asking me to retire and consider my health. I lived with my grandkids for a while, and moved here when my health got worse. Tikki, I've had a very good run. I've had a lot of fun."

"You were a wonderful Ladybug, Marinette. Simply the best."

"Ah, don't cry, Tikki. Thank you for coming to visit me. You're gonna come to the funeral right?"

Tikki nods.

"You better tell nice stories of me then, Tikki."

Tikki giggles. "I only have good things to say."

It was quiet for a while.

"Tikki, I miss him. Do you think I'll get to see him soon?"

"Yes. You'll meet him again soon."

"I'm glad."

Marinette fell asleep. Tikki and her chosen came back again later, whereupon Marinette said "Take care of each other," in reference to both Tikki, Ladybug, and Chat Noir (currently Schwarze Katze).

Marinette was buried next to Adrien. Her gravestone was engraved as thus:

 _Wife, Mother, Grandmother, Great Grandmother.  
_ _Loved to create, both clothes and smiles.  
_ _Au revoir, Marinette Dupain-Cheng._


End file.
